1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic transaction apparatus for a financial institution, such as a bank, for performing transactions automatically, including deposit and withdrawal of money and opening of accounts, and in particular to a backup function for the automatic transaction apparatus in case of power failure.
2. Related Arts
Automatic teller machines (ATM) are installed in finance institutions, such as banks, where they function as automatic transaction apparatuses for the automatic deposit and withdrawal of money. When a user inserts a bank card or a bankbook into the automatic teller machine, the machine communicates with a host computer along a communication line, and automatically receives cash from the user or pays out cash to the user.
Recently, the automatic teller machines having an additional account opening function has been widely introduced and these machines are now being used as automatic transaction apparatuses. The automatic transaction apparatus having the account opening function automatically performs predetermined account opening procedures upon receiving a request for the account opening from the user.
Generally, when opening an account a machine must perform a number of different jobs, including a receiving an application form for the account opening, identifying an applicant (an user) by an identification, such as a driver""s license or a passport. Therefore, the automatic transaction apparatus having an account opening function includes an image reader, i.e., a so-called scanner, to automatically perform those jobs. The user sets the transaction media (the application form and the identification) on the scanner, and the scanner then scans them to obtain information concerning the contents of the transaction media.
A flat bed scanner, which is currently the most popular, can be expected to be used as the image reader. The flat bed scanner has a two-dimensional scanner face, and an attached top lid which the user must open in order to set the application form or the identification on the scanner face. To ensure clear images are obtained using such a scanner, the scanner face must be prevented from becoming dirty and from being scratched. And the automatic transaction apparatus must be secured, since one which is used by the public is often in danger of being touched or of being damaged on purpose.
For these reasons, a locking mechanism is provided for the lid, and the lid is normally maintained in a locked state in order to prevent unwanted contact with the scanner face. That is, the lid is unlocked only to set an identification on the scanner face, to remove the identification from the scanner face, and to set the application form on the scanner face. Since the identification must be returned to the user, the lid is unlocked after the identification has been scanned. However, since after the application form has been scanned it is fed into the automatic transaction apparatus, the lid is not unlocked after the application scanning process has been completed. Also, when the application form or the identification is set on the scanner and the lid is closed, the lid is immediately locked in order to prevent it from being opened by mistake during the scanning process.
When a power failure occurs while the automatic transaction apparatus is in performing an account opening operation, the following problem is encountered. Assume that the power failure occurs after an identification, which must be returned to the user, has been set on the scanner face and the lid has been locked. In this case, since the lid is maintained in the locked state, the user can not remove the identification until the power has been recovered. Since extremely secret or sensitive personal information is included on the identification, and the identification normally must be carried on the user""s person, the user can not leave from the apparatus with setting the identification on the scanning face. And if there is some uncertainty about when the power will be recovered, the user has no choice but to remain at the apparatus for an extended period of time until power will recover because of the possibility that the identification may be stolen by a third party. In addition, in this case the user may try to open the lid and in the process destroy the scanner.
Therefore, an urgent requirement is that the lid of a scanner be unlocked when the power failure occurs while a transaction medium which must be returned to the user (e.g. identification) is set for scanning. However, when the power failure occurs while an application form for opening an account is set on the scanner, the lid need not be unlocked because that a transaction medium which does not have to be returned to the user (e.g. application form) is set for scanning. Thus, it is demanded an automatic transaction apparatus which can control the locking and the unlocking of the lid of a scanner in accordance with the type of the transaction media set on the scanner.
It is, therefore, one objective of the present invention to provide an automatic transaction apparatus which can appropriately lock or unlock a lid in accordance with the type of the transaction medium set on a scanner when the power failure is happened.
To achieve the above objective, according to the present invention, it is provided an automatic transaction apparatus comprising: a receiver for receiving a plurality of types of transaction media in accordance with transaction procedures; a power failure detector for detecting a power failure; and a controller for determining whether the transaction medium is to be returned in accordance with the type of transaction medium which has been received by the receiver when the power failure is detected by the power failure detector, and for enabling the receiver to return the transaction medium in case that the transaction medium is to be returned.
For example, the receiver has a backup power source, and when the power failure is detected, the controller activates the backup power source to drive the receiver and return the transaction medium.
The receiver may includes a locking mechanism for normally locking the receiver and for unlocking the receiver during receiving and returning the transaction medium; and in case that a power failure is detected and the transaction medium received by the receiver is to be returned, the controller unlocks the locking mechanism in order to enable the receiver to return the transaction medium. At this time, the locking mechanism is unlocked by power received from the backup power source.
Therefore, when the receiver which has received predetermined transaction media is locked and the received transaction medium need not be returned to the user (e.g., an application form), the locked state of the receiver is maintained, even when a power failure occurs. In this manner, the unlocked state of the receiver is reduced to the minimum, and this helps to protect the apparatus and to prevent it from being intentionally damaged or destroyed. However, when the transaction medium set in the receiver is one that should be returned to the user (e.g., an identification), the backup power source internally provided for the receiver, is used to unlock the receiver, so that the transaction medium can be returned.